Putin agent who attacked Karita Mattila is found dead

Putin agent who attacked Karita Mattila is found dead

main

norman lebrecht

June 09, 2020

A Finnish businessman Jon Hellevig was found guilty in 2017 by a Helsinki court of threatening behaviour towards the opera singer Karita Mattila after she publicly refused to perform with the Putin conductor Valery Gergiev.

Hellevig, a prominent Putin progragandist, had called on his followers to threaten Mattila with mass rape. He received a suspended sentence.

Hellevig’s death has now been reported in Moscow. No cause has been given. Two weeks before he died, he posted this message on Vkontakte: ‘I believe that there is a plot, within the framework of which the Russian government would try to kill me and blame the death of COVID-19 disease.’

 

Comments

  • We privatize your value says:

    When useful idiots have outlived their usefulness, idiotic things happen to them.

  • Novagerio says:

    “The Stalin conductor Mrawinsky”, the “Brezhnev conductor Rozhdestvensky”…what are you getting at?…”Levine, the GW Bush conductor?” “Thomas Beecham the Oswald Mosley conductor”?…

    • Jean says:

      Is when a conductor shares stage in somebody’s presidential campaigns, for example.

      • david hilton says:

        Like Berlioz, the Emperor Napoleon III conductor. did in 1855. Starting to see a pattern here? Musicians throughout history have been allied with or supporters of various political figures. To single out Valery Gergiev uniquely for this is simply fatuous.

        • Brettermeier says:

          “To single out Valery Gergiev uniquely for this is simply fatuous.”

          This whole thing is SPECIFICALLY about the fact that Gergiev is a/the “Putin conductor”. So, sure, let’s not mention this important link, because it makes people (like you, as it may seem) sad. #sad

    • MacroV says:

      Putin and Gergiev may not be bosom buddies, but they know each other and Gergiev has supported Putin politically while Putin has supported Gergiev financially.

      There is no connection whatsoever between Levine and GW Bush. It’s an absurd comparison.

      • Elizabeth Owen says:

        The Russian government has given many large grants to the Mariinsky theatres with the view that all should be able to appreciate music, ballet and opera hence the theatres in Vladivostok and Vladikavkaz. Have you proof that Putin has personally given money to Gergiev?

        • Bruce says:

          Yes, let’s take things absolutely literally. “Do you have proof that Putin actually took out his wallet, extracted a wad of bills, and put it in Gergiev’s hand? Or performed a wire transfer from his own personal account into Gergiev’s? No? Then your point is without merit.”
          Very convincing.
          /eyeroll

  • Ross Amico says:

    Don’t mess with Salome.

  • Brettermeier says:

    “Hellevig, a prominent Putin progragandist[sic], had called on his followers to threaten Mattila with mass rape.”

    People are disgusting.

    • Barry Guerrero says:

      Truest thing ever said here.

    • Greg Bottini says:

      Gergiev, it must be obvious to everyone at this point, is Putin’s poodle-dog. Ms. Mattila no doubt thought she had good reasons to steer clear of him.
      And Jon Hellevig, “a prominent Putin propagandist” had presumably outlived his usefulness to the dictator.
      It will surely prove to be the type of case which, after Hellevig had been defenestrated and two bullets found in the back of his skull, will be declared “a suicide” after the investigation.

  • Old Man in the Midwest says:

    A wonderful plot for an opera, no?

    Instead of Nixon in China we could have Putin in Helsinki

  • MOST READ TODAY: